Executive Housekeeping Today - June 2008 - (Page 15)

executive profile and deliveries in the city centre of Edinburgh. The headlines in the newspapers across Scotland were filled with stories of the riots in Stirling, but something sinister was going on in Edinburgh that day. Men dressed in black, hooded tops, faces covered with black masks, were seen standing on just about every street corner in the centre of Edinburgh. At 7:45 a.m. a call came in to the factory base, where McDougall was working, from a major hotel client who stated that they were barricaded in the hotel by protesters and no vehicles were able to get in or out. At this point, McDougall knew that communication to her staff and clients was vital. “I found myself in the darkness once again and was unable to see what was really happening firsthand,” says McDougall. “I had to build a picture from the information that was being relayed to me.” McDougall knew that her van drivers needed a voice of reassurance, constant updates of the latest information she had, and that it was important to have a free line open for her clients to contact her directly. In the end, the crisis peaked, the protestors were dispersed, McDougall and her staff were able to complete their deliveries and pickups to their major clients in the centre of Edinburgh safely, and her clients were satisfied with the way the crisis was handled. “The task was realized through everyone taking responsibility for their own individual part of the task and reported in with changes that could affect the bigger picture. Adjustments were constantly being made and reviews of the situation conveyed to each individual. The individual was also being considered for their safety and vulnerability,” says McDougall. “The team was happy with their joint effort and the support, and reassurance from myself gave the collective sense of purpose and achievement when the task was completed.” McDougall. “It appeared to me that to be a manager, you had to be in your 50’s. This was the generally trend then, which has definitely changed now.” When McDougall was 21, she became one of the first ten females to work in the British sector of the North Sea oil platform for Total Oil—one of the largest oil companies in the world. “The community atmosphere and sense of teamwork made this job an excellent environment to work in,” says McDougall. “There were a few pranks from time to time, and we were treated slightly different from the men, but basically we were all out there to do a job, and that is what we did.” McDougall worked on oil platforms for seven years, where she was involved in laundry, catering, (continued on next page) McDougall’s Background and Leadership Skills At the age of eighteen, McDougall decided that her ideal career would be to run her own business. However, what, where, and how she was going to do this was just a formality. So she decided to go to Aberdeen College and study Hotel Catering amd Institutional Management. She graduated in June 1983 and went on to work for The Holiday Inn in Dyce Aberdeen, Scotland as an in-house training manager. “I loved my training in the hotel, but I just couldn’t see how I was going to get to the top,” says “I’m sick of being grilled about replacing my carts.” MOD carts still deliver after 20 years of punishing service. And our newest 90PSL bulk linen truck works triple-duty — round trip, one-way and as a guest supply cart. It features: • Ferocious disposition – withstands over-the-road abuses • Stunning, luxurious design – smooth in the lobby and on the floor • Built-in security – lockable doors stop thieves • Hinged split top – opens for access, seals for clean transport • Repositionable shelves for soiled return • 100% polyethylene base and body – strong, wipes clean • Rainbow of color choices – coordinates with your facility’s decor Call now for a quote or free brochure. Meese Orbitron Dunne Co. 8 0 0 . 8 2 9 . 4 5 3 5 • w w w. M O D L a u n d r y. c o m June 2008/Executive Housekeeping Today 5 http://www.MODLaundry.com http://www.MODLaundry.com

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Executive Housekeeping Today - June 2008

Executive Housekeeping Today - June 2008 Contents Executive Corner The Fundamentals of Safety Man vs. Machine: Equipment Safety in Professional Cleaning Operations Frugal Housekeeper Planning for Disaster Eliminating Bed Bugs 2008 Candidate Information Executive Profile IHW Product Information The Green Scene Spring Board Briefing 2008 Call to Convention 2008 Convention Information USGBC Green Tip Product Highlights New Members Joint IEHA/ISSA Members CEH/REH Members Advertisers' Index Calendar of Events Inside I.E.H.A. What I.E.H.A. Has Done for Me

Executive Housekeeping Today - June 2008

For optimal viewing of this digital publication, please enable JavaScript and then refresh the page. If you would like to try to load the digital publication without using Flash Player detection, please click here.